More than 80 people turned up to hear from guest speakers including beyondblue chairman Jeff Kennett and the organisation's ambassador, motor sport champion John Bowe.

Community members in Avoca have been calling for a beyondblue forum in the region following a spate of suicides which devastated the town.

Aovca Healthy Minds committee member Lyn Mather says there are still many gaps in the mental health system and there is little help available for people who need immediate support after calling Lifeline.

"We all know that there's a hole there, but we still can't find out where to get help.

"We're not counsellors, we try and direct people where to get some help, but we've still got a big hole out there somewhere that we can't direct people to."

Lyn identified the need for a support group when people would visit her in her milk bar and talk about their problems.

"People used to come in and chat with me and we felt like we were doing something to help the community."

She says the town's experience broke down stereotypes of the type of person who would suicide.

"We had people of all ages, all walks of life. At first people wanted to say that this was from the drought, but none of the folks that decided to end their own lives in our town had anything to do with the drought.

"It was very across the board; young lads, through to older men, one woman."

The Ballarat and District Division of General practice has identified Avoca and Snake Valley as the two key areas of need across the region.

Community Support worker Leslee Jackson recognises that there is a hole in mental health for rural communities.

"I think in any rural areas there's always gaps.

"It's our role to get out there and try and fill in a few gaps, try and educate some people, get them talking, find out what their communities need and try and address those problems and partner with other mental health services, health services, sporting clubs."

Dr Lisa Cheshire says around two thirds of people who have had a mental health disorder in the past 12 months have not sought help.

"If you've got a problem, please come to us and talk to us."

Free buses were arranged to bring people in from Skipton, Rokewood, Ballan, Daylesford, Clunes, Avoca and Beaufort.